Vail Oktoberfest lands in Lionshead

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VAIL - Munich comes to the Lionshead Village this weekend to kick off the world's greatest celebration of beer, music and autumn in Vail: Oktoberfest. The event will see a full weekend of blown-out Bavarian fun including the return of many crowd favorites like the Bratwurst Eating Contests and Beck's Keg Bowling. Emulating the age-old celebration known all over the world, Vail Oktoberfest in Lionshead will delight guests with Bavarian music and dancing, traditional fare, yodeling, alpenhorn blowing, beverages from Beck's and Jagermeister and much more.

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Entertainment and fun

Throw on the lederhosen, tie the dirndl and grab your stein because the lineup of entertainment for Vail Oktoberfest in Lionshead this weekend is not to be missed. Things kick off Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. with live oom-pah music from Helmut Fricker and the Rhinelanders Band. Helmut and the band will be on hand throughout the weekend to keep the crowd going with favorite Oktoberfest tunes. Guests are also invited to enjoy the Beck's Keg Tapping Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. today, officially marking the start of Oktoberfest in Vail.

Beck's Keg Bowling is back both Saturday and Sunday, giving anyone interested in the game the chance to hurl a keg shell on wheels down the lane at a pyramid of keg shells with the intention of bringing down the pile. It's not as easy at it seems, however. The top competitors from the first round of the competition move on the final round of Beck's Keg Bowling, where the champion of the day will be crowned and prizes will be awarded. There is no cost to participate in the game and competitors can sign up each day at the Oktoberfest token booth nearest to Vail Square. Participants must be at least 21 years old to compete.

Saturday and Sunday in Lionshead will also see the return of the Bratwurst Eating Contests, where the strong-willed and the strong-stomached battle it out to see who can down the most brats in three minutes. There is no cost to participate in the contests, which happen both days, and competitors can sign up at the Oktoberfest token booth in nearest to Vail Square. The competitor who wolfs down the most brats in the allotted time will win a prize package from Klement's Sausage Company. Participants of all ages can participate.

Two new contests have been added to the lineup: the Bavarian Costume Contests and Stein Lift Contests. Guests who show up for the day in full Bavarian flare or in another Oktoberfest related costume will be invited to participate in the Oktoberfest Costume Contests on Saturday and Sunday. All ages are invited to participate in the costume contests. The winner will be determined by crowd response and will take home an Oktoberfest stein and token package. The Stein Lift Contests will test the arm strength and stamina of even the fiercest competitors. Competitors will hold full beer steins - one in each hand - out from their body at shoulder level. The last person standing with arms outstretched will take home an Oktoberfest prize package. The Stein Lift Contest will take place on Saturday and Sunday and there is no cost to participate. Participants in the Stein Lift Contest must me at least 21 years of age and can sign up at the Oktoberfest token booth nearest to Vail Square.

All throughout Vail Oktoberfest, guests will enjoy oom-pah music from Oktoberfest legends Helmut Fricker and the Rhinelanders Band. In addition to the live music, guest can participate in Bavarian dancing demonstrations, see traditional alpenhorn blowing, hear yodeling and much more. On Saturday, the party goes into the night with a free concert from Schwing Daddy.

Vail Oktoberfest is a family affair, and the event features fun activities during the day for kids, including a Kids' Zone with a bouncy-house, crafts, balloon animals and more.

For more information on Vail Oktoberfest and a full schedule of events, including the schedule of events for Oktoberfest in Vail Village Sept. 14-16, visit www.vail-oktoberfest.com.